Despite recent trade headwinds from our largest trading partner—the United States—and challenges to our dialogue on China trade expansion, Canada has completed encouraging trade deals, including: Canada-Korea Free Trade Agreement Comprehensive Economic Trade Agreement with the European Union Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) All will help Canada diversify trade and improve [...]
As Thailand prepares for the ASEAN chairmanship in 2019, Canada-ASEAN relations are taking center stage in corporate, academic and political circles on both sides of the Pacific. I recently had the distinct pleasure of speaking on a panel at just such an event: the “Canada and Thailand: Lessons from the Past and Future Agenda” [...]
With the support of Export Development Canada (EDC), the Canada-ASEAN Business Council hosted the Infrastructure in Indonesia breakfast seminar at Fairmont Jakarta, Indonesia, on November 29, between 8am and 11am. Mr. Klaus Houben (Chief Representative, Southeast Asia, Export Development Canada) gave his opening remarks The event was attended by about 60 attendees, including Canadian Ambassador [...]
Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau PC MP recently concluded his visit to South East Asia including Singapore for the ASEAN Summit and Papua New Guinea for the APEC meetings. In line with Canada’s trade diversification agenda, Trudeau’s Asia trip, accompanied by Minister of International Trade Diversification Jim Carr PC MP, aimed to forge [...]
The Singapore International Energy Week (SIEW) was held earlier this month and brought together key players throughout the energy value chain. While I focused on the main forum and Gas Asia Summit (GAS), there were programmes and exhibition halls dedicated to the renewable and downstream sectors as well. First, I want to comment on [...]
Since 2012, the CABC has been working to grow commercial opportunities and facilitate the creation of a sustainable and prosperous Canada-ASEAN economic relationship. Despite the current global trading environment of growing protectionism, Canada and ASEAN are well-positioned to stand together as champions of open trade. Allow me to share some of our observations over [...]
Natural Gas Prices (CAD/MMBTU – June 2018) It is difficult to compete on a global scale when Canadian natural gas producers receive 9-12x less than Asia and 2-4x less than their neighbor to the south. As a result, the return from Canadian producers has underperformed relative to the rest of the industry. Canada Natural [...]
The Energy Landscape in Canada & ASEAN Let’s start with Canada, where there is an abundance of space and natural resources. Here, it is not uncommon for the word ‘energy’ to be synonymous with ‘oil & gas’, the two commodities which supply the nation with over 65% of its primary energy supply. This number [...]
SMU School of Law Research Project on ASEAN Legal BarriersResearchers at the Law School of the Singapore Management University (SMU) have been working with the Canada-ASEAN Business Council’s (CABC) support since late 2016 on a project which examines legal barriers faced by businesses operating in ASEAN member States. The objective is to produce recommendations which [...]
Dr. Shawn WatsonCEO, Senescence Life SciencesSME Chair, Canada-ASEAN Business CouncilI recently attended the Canada – ASEAN Senior Economic Officials (SEOM) meeting on July 5th in Cebu, Philippines on behalf of the CABC as SME Chair. The event was attended by ASEAN delegations from each of the ten nations, as well as Canadian Ambassador to ASEAN, [...]
Mr. Bill Brown joined Export Development Canada (EDC) in 1995 and has more than 20 years of international finance, trade, insurance and business development experience. In early 2015, he was appointed Regional Vice-President, International Business Development, Asia, based in Singapore. Prior to his most recent appointment, Mr. Brown was the Regional Vice-President, Americas. Before joining EDC, Mr. Brown also worked at Bell Canada in Montreal as a Financing Manager and at one of Bell Canada’s subsidiaries, Telesat Canada in Ottawa as Manager, Treasury. Mr. Brown holds a Masters of Business Administration degree from the University of Victoria Wellington, New Zealand and a Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) degree from Queens’s University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada. Mr. Brown also holds a Charter Professional Accountant (CPA) designation.
Having spent 20 years in IT managed services and 8 in the Asia region leading Business Development for large MNCs. Mr. Steve Robinson has a wealth of knowledge in leveraging global presence with local regional engagement. More recently Steve heads up the sales and account management for Rockwell Collins IT services arm driving the digital transformation of the Aerospace ecosystem.
Ms. Zenaida Cuison Maglaya started her career in government assisting small and medium entrepreneurs in preparing project feasibility studies to enable them to borrow money from the bank. In 1987, she was appointed Director of the Bureau of the Domestic Trade Promotion and in 2012 she become the Project Manager for One-Town-One-Product (OTOP) Project while seated as Assistant Secretary for Regional Operations. Currently she is Undersecretary for Regional Operations- the Department of Trade and Industry. She is also currently the co-host of DTI’s Business Education Program “Negosyo At Iba Pa. Undersecretary Maglaya is a recipient of the Presidential Lingkod Bayan Awards, the highest category of the Civil Service Commission’s Honor Awards Program.
Mr. Kevyn McGraw moved to Laos at the age of 22 after graduating from Concordia University. He started working in 2013 for a Canadian software company named Aheeva Technologies as their Director in Asia. Aheeva develops contact center software and is used in over 30 different countries. In 2015, Kevyn and Aheeva partnered with Datacom, an IT company in Laos, and founded ASEAN Contact Center (ACC). The company’s mission was to be the first contact center BPO in Laos and modernize the local contact center industry. ACC now has over 140 staff and offers services in five different languages. ACC’s goal is to expand the company into ASEAN and add even more languages and services to help others grow.
Mr. Adrian Lembong is the Director of Technology of PT. Adaro Power, a subsidiary of PT. Adaro Energy, Tbk. Mr. Lembong worked at Elf Autochem, Sudchemie AG, PT. Adaro Indonesia, and PT. Adaro Power, with placements in France, Germany, Mexico and Jakarta. Through the efforts of Adrian and his team of highly professional experts, PT. Adaro Power have achieved several accomplishments, which include the 2×30 MW Captive Coal Fired Power Plant in South Kalimantan (run by PT. Makmur Sejahtera Wisesa), the 2×1000 MW CFPP mega project in Central Java (run by PT. Bhimasena Power Indonesia), and the 2×100 MW CFPP in South Kalimantan (run by PT. Tanjung Power Indonesia).
Mr. Ross G. McKeand was appointed Head of Marketing – Asia-Pacific & China in November 2016. Mr McKeand has over 12 years’ experience in aviation and has worked extensively in Europe and Asia. He is now based in Singapore and leads the Bombardier Commercial Aircraft marketing teams in Singapore, Shanghai and Tokyo. Prior to joining Bombardier, Mr McKeand worked for both GECAS and Airbus. He spent the past five years with GECAS where the last position he held was Vice President – Product Strategy. He started his career in the Airbus Marketing Division in Toulouse, before moving to Airbus Product Strategy, where he was part of the small team that nurtured the A320neo to life. Ross holds an MSc in Aerospace Vehicle Design from Cranfield University and a MEng in Aeronautical Engineering from the University of Glasgow.
Mr. Aaron Franz is the Managing Director of Vriens & Partners’ head office in Singapore. Vriens & Partners is Southeast Asia’s leading government affairs consulting firm, with offices in Jakarta, Bangkok, Hanoi, Kuala Lumpur, Manila, Yangon and Phnom Penh. Aaron advises multinational companies on government affairs and political risk in sectors ranging from health care to disruptive technology to toys. Aaron has lived in the region for over 15 years, including the past 10 years in Singapore. He holds a master’s degree in international studies from the National University of Singapore and studied Mandarin for two years at Fo Guang University in Taiwan.
Mr. Bill Tarrant has spent the past 32 years working in almost every country in Asia for Reuters, as a correspondent, bureau chief and editor. He was Asia’s first Enterprise Editor for Reuters and oversaw special reports that won a number of international awards, including Reuters first Pulitzer Prize for text in 2014. He is the author of a book about the Jakarta Post, an English-language daily he helped to start in 1983. For the past two years, he has been a top news editor, editing major initiative pieces on topics ranging from Islamic politics in Indonesia and Malaysia, the North Korea missile crisis and the impact of Trump’s policies on Asia to the IMDB scandal and issues around foreign banking in the region. Born in Springfield, Mass., Bill also has Irish citizenship and holds an MA from the University of Missouri School of Journalism.
Mr. Rob Simmons joined the Alberta Government in August 2013 as Managing Director – Southeast Asia and Oceania based in the Alberta Singapore Office. Rob has over twenty-five years of experience in trade, investment promotion and export finance in Asia. From 2004 to 2013 Rob was Chief Representative, Southeast Asia for Canada’s official export credit agency – Export Development Canada (EDC) based in Singapore and Kuala Lumpur. Prior to joining EDC, Mr. Simmons held a number of senior positions within the Alberta Government including Senior Director Asia Trade and Investment working out of the Alberta Hong Kong Office and Advisor – Natural Resource Policy with the Alberta Ministry of Federal and Intergovernmental Affairs based in Edmonton. Mr. Simmons is a graduate of the University of Manitoba as well as the University of Winnipeg.
Ms. Marie-Louise Hannan was appointed ambassador to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) on January 16, 2016. Prior she was consul and senior trade commissioner at the Canadian consulate general in Sydney, Australia (2013-2016). She joined the Canadian Foreign Service in 1997 and has represented Canada on postings to Malaysia, Taiwan and the United States, as well as during assignments to China and India. In Ottawa, Ms. Hannan has worked on the China desk, as Director of Trade Commissioner Service renewal and as senior policy adviser to the assistant deputy minister for International Business Development, Investment and Innovation. From 2011-2012, she worked in the Privy Council Office as a foreign policy analyst and was responsible for the United States and for energy files. She studied Chinese at National Taiwan Normal University and is fluent in Mandarin.
Born in Ireland and having lived in 5 countries since, Mr. Quentin O’Mahony is most comfortable up in the air. By the age of 8 he had circumnavigated the globe and so began a passion for aviation that led him to CAE in Montreal following his McGill MBA in 2010. Since joining CAE he has been based in Kuala Lumpur, working closely with AirAsia before becoming the first General Manager of their Singapore Flight
Training Centre in 2013. In 2015 he was appointed General Manager of Japan Airlines CAE joint venture responsible for Tokyo, Japan and Seoul, South Korea. When not busy playing with flight simulators he enjoys playing running marathons, refereeing football (soccer) and chasing after his 2 young boys.
Mr. Pitra Narendra joined Cargill’s Corporate Affairs Asia-Pacific team as Manager for Government Relations and Policy. He is responsible for leading policy and issue management practice for countries such as Japan, Taiwan, Myanmar, and Singapore. His charter includes policy advisory, public advocacy, and corporate responsibility in the Asia-Pacific region. Prior to joining Cargill in 2014, Pitra was a senior consultant at Vriens & Partners, a leading advisory firm on government relations and public policy in Southeast Asia. Based in Jakarta, he was responsible for leading the firm’s practice in Indonesia. Pitra completed his master’s education at National University of Singapore. He also holds a bachelor’s degree from Gadjah Mada University, Indonesia.
Mr. Eduardo Pedrosa is the Secretary General of the Pacific Economic Cooperation Council and coordinator of its report on the State of the Region. Mr. Pedrosa first joined PECC as its Director (Policy Program) in 2001 where his responsibilities included the management and coordination of the Council’s research program. Before moving to Singapore, he was the coordinator of the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung’s Southeast Asia cooperation program based in Manila and also the co-editor of its journal on regional economics and politics. He has also worked for the government of the Philippines and the Economist Intelligence Unit. He is a graduate of the London School of Economics.
Ms. Lynn McDonald (BA, Trinity College, University of Toronto; LL.B, University of Toronto) joined the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade in 1996. After working in both the Legal and Trade Policy Bureaux of DFAIT from 1996-1999, she took up a position as Legal Advisor to Canada’s Permanent Mission to the World Trade Organization in Geneva, Switzerland from 1999-2002. From 2005-2009, she served as Counsellor and Head of the Trade Policy Section at the Embassy of Canada in Washington, D.C., USA. Ms. McDonald was Director of the Intellectual Property Trade Policy Division at Global Affairs Canada headquarters from 2011-2014. In 2014, she became Consul and Senior Trade Commissioner at the Consulate General of Canada in Hong Kong and Macao. Ms. McDonald was appointed as High Commissioner to Singapore in 2016.
Ms. Sirina Hervy is the Managing Director of Sinouk Coffee, a leading player in the coffee Industry in Laos. She leads the internal transformation of the company to scale with its future growth :growing the coffee shop network locally and regionally as well as developping an export market for Sinouk roasted coffee. She also has her sights set on establishing coffee tourism as a key draw card to Southern Laos. Before joining Sinouk Coffee and returning to her Origin Country, she headed the office of a start up in Singapore where she also built her network and knowledge of the ASEAN market. She then joined a major American Consulting Company in the Digital Consulting practice and lead projects in various industries.
Mr. Michael Nicholas is the Managing Director of British Columbia’s Trade and Investment Office based in Singapore and covering Malaysia as well. He has spent 12 years living and working in Southeast Asia as a management consultant to international companies and as an exporter. Most recently, Michael was Country Manager – Singapore as well as Lead of the firm’s trade and investment team based in Shanghai. Prior to this, Michael was at Trade & Invest British Columbia as Senior Director – Natural Resources and Director for India & Southeast Asia. Michael has an MBA from INSEAD, a post-graduate diploma on Management in Asia from Simon Fraser University and a degree in Southeast Asian Studies from UBC.
Mr. Jesse Satria Oeni, Divisional Director for the Project Development Division of International Enterprise (IE) Singapore. Prior to his current position he spent 3 years as IE’s Centre Director in Jakarta. Mr. Satria’s career in IE Singapore has focused on emerging markets in Southeast Asia. He have also spent 3.5 years in the Southeast Asia Group, covering markets including Thailand, Laos & Myanmar.
Mr. Satria holds an MSc in Economics from the London School of Economics and Political Science, where he also completed his undergraduate studies in Economics.
Mr. Iain Twine leads Edelman’s Reputation business across Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa, overseeing 700 professionals across the area of reputation, public affairs and issues management. Iain previously oversaw the six Edelman offices and over 400 staff in Southeast Asia and Australasia. Before relocating to his current base of Singapore, Iain was the general manager of Edelman’s operations across the Middle East and Africa until June 2013. He was the first employee of Edelman’s Middle East operations and grew the business into what the Middle East PR Association and The Holmes Report named Middle East Agency of the Year. Iain has extensive experience in the field of government relations, reputation management, market entry, media relations, training and policy development.
Mr.S Iswaran joined the Singapore Administrative Service in 1987. He served in the Ministries of Home Affairs and Education, was seconded to the National Trade Union Congress, and later to the Singapore Indian Development Association as its first Chief Executive Officer. Mr Iswaran was Director for International Trade at the Ministry of Trade and Industry in the lead up to Singapore’s hosting of the WTO Ministerial Conference in 1996. He then joined the private sector, as Director for Strategic Development at Singapore Technologies Pte Ltd. Later, as Managing Director at Temasek Holdings, he undertook investments, takeover, buy-out and merger transactions in the pharmaceuticals, biotech, hitech manufacturing, transport and logistics sectors. Mr. Iswaran has been elected as a Member of Parliament in five General Elections since 2 January 1997. Prior to his Cabinet appointment in 2006, he served on several Government Parliamentary Committees, and as the Deputy Speaker of Parliament from September 2004 to June 2006. Mr. Iswaran is currently the Minister for Trade and Industry (Industry), focusing on economic restructuring, productivity growth, and creating a vibrant domestic economy and enterprise ecosystem. He also oversees the Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Energy Market Authority, International Enterprise Singapore, Singapore Tourism Board, Sentosa Development Corporation and SPRING Singapore. Mr. Iswaran read Economics at the University of Adelaide and graduated with First Class Honours. He also holds a Masters in Public Administration from Harvard University.
Ms. Lavinia Thanapathy is the President of PrimeTime Business & Professional Women’s Association, a volunteer‐led non‐profit organization. She also serves on the Executive Board of the Singapore Council for Women’s Organisations (SCWO), the national co‐ordinating body for women’s organisations in Singapore. Lavinia speaks persuasively about the business case for inclusion and is regularly invited to comment on current gender issues by the media. She is recognised for her contribution to the discussion around Women in Leadership. Professionally, Lavinia has an international, 17‐year record of creating brand visibility for businesses, government institutions and not‐for‐profit organisations. A lawyer by training, Lavinia is currently the Associate Director for Communications at the National University of Singapore’s Faculty of Law.
Mr. Kai Ostwald is an assistant professor in the School of Public Policy & Global Affairs and the Department of Political Science at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver. He was the director of UBC’s Centre for Southeast Asia Research from 2014-2016. Prior to attaining a PhD from the University of California (San Diego), he spent several years working in the private sector in Southeast Asia. His research focuses broadly on the political economy of the ASEAN region. In addition to this research, he is involved in development projects throughout the region with several partners, including Canada’s International Development Research Centre (IDRC) and the CABC. Prior work for the CABC includes the 2016 Canada-ASEAN Business Outlook report and contributions to the 2017 Canada-ASEAN Free Trade Agreement feasibility study.
The Honourable François-Philippe Champagne was elected the Member of Parliament for Saint-Maurice-Champlain on October 19, 2015. A few weeks later, he was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance of Canada, a position he held until January 10, 2017, when he was appointed Minister of International Trade of Canada by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
Businessman, lawyer and international trade specialist, François-Philippe Champagne has more than 20 years of experience in large international companies, particularly in the field of energy, engineering, and innovation. He was Vice-President and Senior Counsel of ABB Group, a leader in cutting-edge technology that operates in more than 100 countries. Later he served as Strategic Development Director, acting General Counsel, and Chief Ethics Officer and Member of the Group Management Committee of AMEC, a world leader in the energy sector.
Mr. David Wynne has over thirty five years’ experience in international business development, venture capital, fund management and business operations. He served as a senior diplomat for Canada in Korea, Japan and Singapore, and has since held senior management and Board positions in several hi-tech, investment and fund management companies. He holds a BA from Concordia University,and an MA (Public Admin) from Carleton University. He has served on the Executive Committee of the Singapore Venture Capital Association, the Executive Council of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce in Singapore, and was a founding member of the Singapore Biotech Association. He presently leads Greentech Asia Pte Ltd, is President and CEO of Inuktun Asia Pte Ltd, and Director of Upstream Ventures and other non-exec Directorships.
For over 15 years, Mr. Alex Capri has been a trusted advisor to the world’s leading companies, throughout Asia and beyond, on international trade strategies, supply- chain optimization and cross-border risk management. From 2007-2012, Alex was the Asia Pacific Partner-in Charge for KPMG’s International Trade & Customs practice. He has advised MNEs in more than 50 countries and in some of the most challenging business environments in the world. Alex earned a M.Sc. from the London School of Economics, in International Political Economy. He holds a B.Sc. in International Relations, from the University of Southern California. He is currently conducting research on the tectonic changes impacting international value chains.
Dato Lim Jock Hoi was the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Brunei Darussalam since 2006.
During his tenure, he served as Brunei Darussalam’s Senior Official for the ASEAN Economic Community Pillar (SEOM), APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation) and the ASEM (Asia-Europe Meeting). He was a member of the High Level Task Force on ASEAN Economic Integration (HLTF-EI) since 2001, serving as the HLTF-EI Chair in 2017. He was Brunei Darussalam’s Chief Negotiator for the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPP), as well as for the P4, precursor to the TPP negotiations. Previously, he was also the Co-Chair during the negotiations for the ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Area (AANZFTA), and also served as Brunei Darussalam’s Chief Negotiator for the Brunei Darussalam-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement (BJEPA). From June 2011-2017, he was the Chairman of the Governing Board of the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA). He was also on the External Advisory Board for the ASEAN 2030 Study being undertaken by the Asian Development Bank (ADB). He entered the Government Service as an education officer in 1977 and served as principal of a Secondary School from 1981 – 1985. From February 2001 – July 2005, he was appointed as Director-General, International Relations and Trade Development, Ministry of Industry and Primary Resources. In September 2005, he was appointed as Deputy Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. He graduated from the City of London Polytechnic in B.Sc (Hons) Economics in 1976 and received his Post Graduate Certificate of Education in 1977. He was awarded The Most Honourable Order of Seri Paduka Mahkota Brunei, second Class (D.P.M.B) in 2007.
Ms. Tuuli McCully is Scotiabank’s principal economist for Asia-Pacific, based in Singapore. Tuuli brings a global perspective to her macroeconomic forecasts and fundamental analysis, drawing from her experience in Asia, Europe and North America. She is a regular contributor to international media outlets, including BBC World News, Bloomberg, and Reuters. She provides economic intelligence to Scotiabank’s senior executives, is actively involved in client development, and is a regular contributor to the Economics department’s various publications. Tuuli joined Scotiabank in 2006; prior to that she worked for the European Central Bank in Frankfurt, Germany. She holds a Master of Science degree in Economics from the Helsinki School of Economics in Finland. She is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Economics on a part-time basis.
Mr. Sean D. Goff is the General Manager – Asia for Canadian National Railway. He is based in Shanghai and responsible for CN Worldwide logistics and operations in Asia, overseeing offices and agencies in China, India, Korea, Japan, and Singapore. Sean has 33 years’ experience in transportation & supply chain focused primarily on International Intermodal, ports, rail operations and intermodal terminal development. Sean has a Bachelors’ Degree from the University of Western Ontario and a MBA from the Richard Ivey Business School in London, Ontario.
Mr. Hal Bosher is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Yoma Bank headquartered in Yangon, Myanmar. Over the past five years he has forged partnerships with the International Finance Corporation (IFC), Telenor, GIZ and the Livelihoods and Security Trust Fund (LIFT) while growing the Bank’s assets by over $1.5B USD. Prior to joining Yoma Bank, Mr. Bosher spent 10 years with the World Bank Group. Most recently, he was MIGA’s Regional Representative for Northern Asia based in Hong Kong. He is a Member of the Board of Directors of Wave Money Myanmar, a joint venture between Telenor and Yoma Bank as well as a member of the Serge Pun and Associates Executive Committee. A Canadian national, Mr. Bosher holds a BA in economics and political science from McGill University; an MA in International Finance and Southeast Asian Studies from the John Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS); and an MBA from IESE Business School.
As Managing Director and Regional Head, Asia Pacific. Mr. Peter Heidinger is responsible for the regional management of Scotiabank’s wholesale banking operations in Asia and Australia. Peter joined Scotiabank in June 2015. Before joining the Bank, he was Global Head of FIG at Standard Chartered. Prior to that he held senior coverage and product roles at Citigroup in Asia and Europe and was a Senior Credit Officer at Citi. Peter holds an MBA from Concordia University, a Master’s degree in Economics from The University of Western Ontario and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics from Bishop’s University.
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Ms. Chelsea Guy is the Executive Director at the Canadian Chamber of Commerce in Singapore. She supports members to build valuable in-market contacts in Singapore, while facilitating business ties between the Canada-Singapore business communities. Prior to this, Chelsea was the Marketing Manager at L’OCCITANE en Provence Singapore Pte Ltd. In her previous role, Chelsea was appointed Business Development Manager at Medi Myanmar Group Ltd., in Yangon, Myanmar. She played a lead role in developing its retail division and was responsible for launching retail brands, opening retail shops and initiating B2B distribution for several International retail brands. Born in Vancouver, Chelsea holds an MBA from Simon Fraser University and a Bachelor’s in Human Kinetics from the University of British Columbia.
Ms. Claire ChiangMs. Claire Chiang is Co-founder of Banyan Tree Hotels & Resorts, Senior Vice President of Banyan Tree Holdings Limited and a member of the board of Directors in Denmark based ISS A/S and Dufry AG, Switzerland. She has also served as board of director of Wildlife Reserves Singapore Conservation Fund and Mandai Park Holdings Pte. Ltd. She holds directorships in two subsidiaries of Banyan Tree Holdings Limited as well as directorships in six family holding companies. In addition, she is Chairperson for China Business Development as well as Banyan Tree Global Foundation Limited and honorary council member of the Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Ms. Siu Min graduated from Imperial College London, UK and Ecole Nationale Superieure D’Aeronautique et de l’Espace Toulouse, France with a Master of Engineering in Aeronautics. She started her career in the Singapore Economic Development Board promoting foreign direct investment into Singapore. She moved on to Eagle Services Asia, a joint venture between Pratt&Whitney and Singapore Airlines Engineering Company, as Regional Marketing Manager. She also worked in the UK at Rolls-Royce Plc as Marketing Manager for Civil Large Engines. She joined Thales Solutions Asia in 2010 as Business Development Director and went on to lead the Sales Operations & Marketing function. Ms. Siu Min is now responsible for developing the Services and Security businesses in Singapore.
Mr. Luis Gonzalez is the Leader for Element AI in ASEAN responsible for the Operations and growth strategy in the region. Luis is an enterprise Industry Software Professional with 20 years of experience in Digital Transformation Advisory, involved with over 40 customers advising on developing and executing their software solutions roadmap within Asia Pacific, North/ South America, Europe and the Middle East. Prior to joining Element, Luis was the Chief Customer Success GE Digital and Chief Digital Officer for GE Power in Asia, responsible for sales, go to market strategy, client relationships and delivery. Luis has a graduate diploma from MIT with an undergrad from University of Victoria of a Commerce /Computer Science and a specialization in CUHK.
Ms. Pearlie Koh is an Associate Professor of Law at the School of Law, Singapore Management University. She received her legal training at the National University of Singapore and the University of Melbourne and is a member of the Singapore Bar. Pearlie teaches and writes in corporate law. Her research has been cited by the courts of Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong and England and Wales.
Ms. Yip Man is an Associate Professor of Law in the School of Law at the Singapore Management University. Her principal research interests are in equity and trusts, property law, restitution, contract law and private international law. She has published in leading international and local peer-reviewed journals. In recognition of her research in Asian commercial law, she has been awarded the DS Lee Foundation Fellowship in 2016/2017. Her research has been cited by the Singapore Court of Appeal, the Singapore High Court and the High Court of England and Wales. She has acted as an expert witness on Singapore commercial law and private international law in a commercial arbitration matter.
Mr. Panicker returns to Tractus Asia Ltd., as the Country Manager for Singapore after having spent four years earlier with the firm (2011-2015).
He brings with him over eight years of experience from the business advisory, tech start-up and B2B marketing/sales fields. Mr.Panicker will be serving as the Consulting Manager for Singapore and lead Tractus’ Business Development mandate for the country and region. Mr. Panicker immersed himself in Singapore’s start-up space over the past three years where he gained invaluable experience in brand building and generating revenue for technology firms. Previously with Tractus, Mr. Panicker helped deliver key projects in India/South-east Asia ranging from market entry and strategic matchmaking to site selection and economic development. He graduated from Mount Allison University, Canada, in 2007, with a Bachelors in Commerce.
Mr Sia Kheng Yok is the Chief Executive of the Association of Aerospace Industries (Singapore), a not-for-profit corporate membership organization representing the Aerospace industry in Singapore. Sia sits on the Advisory Boards of the Singapore Institute of Aerospace Engineers and the Singapore Space and Technology Association. He is also a senior member of the Institution of Engineers, serving on the Aerospace Engineering Technical Committee. Before joining the Association, Sia worked at the Singapore Economic Development Board (1993-2016), the lead government agency for planning and executing strategies that shape the future of Singapore’s economy. He also served as Director for the Aerospace research program at the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (2011-12).
Ms. Su-Yen Wong is Chairman, Nera Telecommunications, and Independent Director at MediaCorp, Yoma Strategic Holdings, NTUC First Campus, and National Kidney Foundation. Previously, she was CEO, Human Capital Leadership Institute; Chairman (Singapore), Marsh & McLennan Companies; Southeast Asia Managing Director, Mercer; Asia Managing Partner, Communications, Information, and Entertainment Practice, Oliver Wyman. She is a Board and C-Suite advisor on strategy, human capital, and leadership development. She has advised organisations including Citibank, China Mobile, ExxonMobil, SK Telecom, and the Singapore Government. She is a regular keynote speaker and guest lecturer at leading universities worldwide. Su-Yen holds a BA in music and computer science, and an MBA. She is a Fellow, Singapore Institute of Directors, and member of the Young Presidents’ Organisation.
Mr. Dang Huy Dong was assisting the Minister in guiding the following fields: state-owned enterprise reorganization and renewal, small and medium-sized enterprise development, business registration, socio-economic development master planning, collective economic development, cooperatives, IT application in the Ministry and other assignments allocated by the Minister. Mr. Dang Huy Dong was in charge of supervising the Northern Central region, Central Coastal region and the Central pivotal economic zone. He was participating in the inter-sectorial committees established by the Government and Prime Minister related to the domain of responsibility or assigned by the Minister, and directly supervising the following departments: Enterprise Development Agency, Business Registration Management Agency, Department of Planning Management, Department of Cooperative, Informatics Centre, Department of Legislation, Public procurement Agency, and Foreign Investment Agency.
Mr. Chris BirdsongMr. Chris Birdsong is the chief executive officer for SNC-Lavalin’s Engineering, Design and Project Management business in Asia Pacific.
Prior to the acquisition of Atkins by SNC-Lavalin in July 2017, Chris held the role of regional CEO for Atkins in Asia Pacific, leading the strategic development of the region in key growth markets. Prior to that, Chris held a number of senior leadership roles in Atkins. Chris previously worked for Bechtel, a leading construction and project management firm, for over 33 years in large scale project development and delivery in several business sectors, including infrastructure, transport, oil and gas, power generation, heavy industries and telecommunications. Chris is a fellow of the Institute of Business Consulting (IBC) and is on the IBC Council.
Dr. Raymon Krishnan, Director of Corporate Advisory at the Asian Trade Centre. He works with clients on supply chain diagnosis, strategy and network design. He has close to thirty years experience in logistics and supply chain management as an end user, educationist and service provider. He currently serves as Secretary-General of the Asia Business Trade Association and President of The Logistics & Supply Chain Management Society and is Editor-At-Large of LogiSYM. Dr. Krishnan holds a degree in Logistics from RMIT and a Master of International Business from the University of Wollongong and a Doctorate in Business Administration. He is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport and The Australian Logistics Academy and Associate Fellow of the Australian Institute of Management.
Mr. Nadzri Hashim joined AirAsia in May 2005 as a Technical Services Manager. In March 2016, he was appointed as the Country Head of Engineering in Malaysia. Prior to joining AirAsia, Nadzri was a Technical Services Engineer at Emirates Airlines, part of a team responsible for all strategic configuration and repair of the airline’s wide body cabin interiors. His team was also responsible for the introduction of AirAsia Airbus A320 into service. Nadzri obtained a Bachelor of Science in Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering from the Ohio State University, in the US. He also holds a DCA Design Organization Certification and Verification Engineer Approval, the Head of Design Organization and was a Part M Continuing Airworthiness Nominated Holder.
Mr. Rob Grant joined SNC-Lavalin as Senior Vice-President, Power, Asia Pacific in October 2015 and was additionally appointed Vice-President, Investment Development, Capital, Asia Pacific and Regional Head SNC-Lavalin APAC in February 2017. Rob is responsible for SNC-Lavalin’s Power and Capital activities in Asia and Australia. Prior to joining SNC-Lavalin Rob spent 18 years (the last nine as CEO) helping Pacific Hydro become Australia’s most successful and dynamic international clean energy utility. Rob has a strong personal interest in advocating economically sound climate change abatement policy. In Australia, Rob was instrumental in the formation of the Clean Energy Council (CEC) in 2007 and served as its second Chairman from 2009-2011 and served as one of Australia’s representatives on the Asia Pacific Partnership on Clean Development and Climate (APP).
Marie-Claude Dumas is President of SNC-Lavalin’s Clean Power sector, which develops and manages hydro, wind, solar, transmission & distribution, energy storage and telecommunications & security solutions across the world. Ms. Dumas first joined SNC-Lavalin in 2006 and went on to hold increasingly senior positions, including Vice-President – Operations and Executive Vice-President of the Hydro business unit. Throughout her tenure, her emphasis has been on growing this business in Canada and in key international markets. Before assuming her current position, Ms. Dumas was Executive Vice-President – Human Resources for SNC-Lavalin. There, she led key strategic business initiatives to foster a stronger constructive and empowered corporate culture, including the launch of a diversity and inclusion program. Marie-Claude holds a Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering and a Master’s degree in Hydrogeological Engineering, as well as a Master’s of Business Administration.
Mr. Wayne Farmer, managing partner of a boutique advisory firm and a private-markets professional with 15 + years of originating, leading and structuring pan-Asia investment transactions (focus on South East Asia/China) and selected cross-border/ global deals. Originated approximately USD 3 billion of deal flow and leads the firm’s capital / fundraising relationships, industry market intelligence gathering as well as deal execution for clients – including expectations management, strategic /operational advice/ planning, corporate and board restructuring, staffing and deal / corporate documentation. Wayne is also a Strategic Advisor to Cobalt Equity Partners, a Pan-Asia focused PE fund manager based in Hong Kong. Successful track record of launching corporate, entrepreneurial and public policy ventures with a high level of dedication to outcomes. Engaging speaker and an articulate policy advocate practiced in government relations, with an established commitment to the development of ASEAN. A graduate of Queen’s University; Ivey Business School; Singapore Management University; and a permanent resident of both Singapore and Hong Kong SAR.
Mr. Bill Tarrant has spent the past 32 years working in almost every country in Asia for Reuters, as a correspondent, bureau chief and editor. He was Asia’s first Enterprise Editor for Reuters and oversaw special reports that won a number of international awards, including Reuters first Pulitzer Prize for text in 2014. He is the author of a book about the Jakarta Post, an English-language daily he helped to start in 1983. For the past two years, he has been a top news editor, editing major initiative pieces on topics ranging from Islamic politics in Indonesia and Malaysia, the North Korea missile crisis and the impact of Trump’s policies on Asia to the IMDB scandal and issues around foreign banking in the region. Born in Springfield, Mass., Bill also has Irish citizenship and holds an MA from the University of Missouri School of Journalism.
The Hon. John Manley is a former Deputy Prime Minister of Canada. He was first elected to Parliament in 1988, and re-elected three times. From 1993 to 2003 he was a Minister in the governments of Jean Chrétien, serving in the portfolios of Industry, Foreign Affairs, and Finance, in addition to being Deputy Prime Minister. Following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, Mr. Manley was named Chair of a Cabinet Committee on Public Security and Anti-terrorism, serving as counterpart to Governor Tom Ridge, the first U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security. After a 16-year career in politics, Mr. Manley returned to the private sector in 2004. Since leaving government, Mr. Manley has continued to be active in public policy, as a media commentator, speaker and adviser to governments of differing political stripes. In addition to his role as President and Chief Executive Officer of the Council, Mr. Manley serves on the boards of several publicly traded companies and is active in the not-for-profit sector. An Officer of the Order of Canada, Mr. Manley has received honorary doctorates from Carleton, York and Western universities, and the universities of Ottawa, Toronto and Windsor.
Ms. Marlene Han is an entrepreneur at heart, she loves bringing people together to achieve mutual goals, whilst building quality sustainable business through delivering positive results for all parties and enjoying the company of good partners. She was a President/Chairman of CanCham in Hong Kong (1992-1994) and CanCham in Singapore as President/Chairman/ExCo Member (2007 – present), which was acknowledged through a Governor General’s Award. Marlene and business partner Des McGahan started Hong Kong agency, PRISM, in 1989. PRISM grew to include operations in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzou, Kuala Lumpur and Singapore. Having sold PRISM in 1996 to global sports marketing company, Octagon, Marlene oversaw Asian operations until 2005 and continues projects with an incredible network of great friends and top-notch professionals.
Mr. Steve Tipman leads the organization in fulfilling its mission of improving lives through international trade. With over 24 years of experience in both the private and non-profit sectors, Steve has spent much of his career working in the areas of international trade and development. He spent eight years working at Livingston International, a trade services company focused on customs brokerage and compliance. He also served as a Vice President with CARE Canada and President and CEO of Volunteer Canada. He currently serves as a member of the Board of Directors of the Canadian Association of International Development Professionals. Steve holds an International Masters in Business Administration degree from the University of Ottawa and is fluently bilingual in both French and English.h.
Mr. Francis St-Louis is a dynamic and cross-cultural business leader entrusted to build and grow profitable business. Trained as a lawyer, Francis holds graduate and undergraduate degrees from the University of Montreal in Canada. Francis has nearly 20 years of experience in legal services, strategy, marketing, sales and business development in the aviation and aerospace sector. His international experience includes programs and pursuits in the Americas, Europe, Asia (China, India, SEA, North East Asia), and Australia. Francis is located in Singapore and works for Rockwell Collins as a Principal Strategic Development Manager.
Tan Sri Datuk Dr. Rebecca Fatima Sta. Maria began her career in the Malaysian government with the then Malaysia Ministry of Trade and Industry. In 2010 she was promoted as the Secretary-General of the Ministry of International Trade and Industry, where was involved in the formulation and implementation of Malaysia’s international trade and investment policies. She is Senior Advisor to ZICO ASEAN Advisory, serves on the Board of Trustees of MyKasih, an NGO, chairs the think-tank, Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs, and is the Chair of the EU-Malaysia Chamber of Commerce and Industry. She is a Senior Policy Fellow at the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia. Asia.
Mr. Allen Gilstrap is a senior financial services industry executive with global experience in the creation and management of new digital payment businesses. Mr. Gilstrap currently serves as CEO of Ongo, a smartphone app-enabled digital payment network in Myanmar. The Ongo Network consists of agent service points, FMCG distributors, wholesalers, merchants, social media, employers, payment processors, mobile airtime distributors, utility companies and e-commerce retailers. Prior to Ongo, Mr. Gilstrap served as CEO of OpenRevolution, a leading mobile payment Fintech provider that implemented over 40 mobile, digital financial service projects in 25 countries. Previously, Mr. Gilstrap served as General Manager and Vice President for American Express in London leading the Global Network Services’ Smart Solution business. Mr. Gilstrap is based in Yangon, Myanmar.
Mr. Wong Joo Seng is the founder and CEO of Spark Systems, builders of ultrafast, low latency, resilient and cost-effective trading platforms. Joo Seng is also a Venture Capitalist and Partner with both Vickers Venture Partners as well as an Investment Partner with True Global Ventures. He also co-founded M-Daq. Joo Seng started his career in 1987 with United Overseas Bank Singapore, where he was a trader in precious metals. He later went on to working with Republic National Bank of New York in Singapore, Bank of New Zealand in Wellington, Head of Treasury at TLB Bullion and Futures, and G K Goh. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Economics and Mathematics from the National University of Singapore.
Ms Le Hoang Lan, is co-founder of LABO, a start up with the mission to bring comprehensive financial solutions to Vietnamese individuals and families through a user-friendly, one-stop shop approach enabled by advanced technology. Relocating to Asia in 1997 as co-founder and member of the Board of Directors at Prudential Vietnam Insurance Company, she led the company from start-up to 50,000 staff within 10 years. Her deep understanding of the importance of human relationships in the workplace and in financial services led her to pursue her interests in the culinary, healthcare and wellness industries. Ms Le Hoang Lan trained in marketing management at McGill University in Canada and holds an MBA from the Henley Business School at the University of Reading, UK.
Ms. Nathalie Benzing is the Chief Operating Officer at TradeGecko, a fast-growing Singapore startup providing a SaaS inventory and order management platform solution for SME brand owners and distributors. Nathalie’s focus is on driving, supporting and enabling TradeGecko’s aggressive expansion plans to better serve its global customer base. Prior to this, Nathalie spent six years as Autodesk’s Global Head of Acquisition Integration within their Corporate Development team. In this and her previous role, as Autodesk’s EMEA Integration Lead, she led more than 60 merger integrations, from due diligence through to integration completion. Prior to joining Autodesk she held a number of IT Programme and Project Management roles focusing on CRM and ERP implementations working with clients such as NIKE and Philips Healthcare (formerly ADAC Laboratories).
Mr. Victor Sasdiyarto is Head of Loan Syndication and Financial Advisory Division at PT Sarana Multi Infrastruktur. He is responsible for overseeing financing arrangements, not only bank loan but also equity and MTN. Mr. Sasdiyarto managed project at Kertajati International Airport at West Java, a 4000 liter/second water supply project across 5 regions and municipalities in East Java under a PPP Scheme. He also assisted 5 ship port companies in conducting studies to obtain concession rights. He also manages the power plant, LPG storage, rolling stock and tourism special economic zone. Before joining PT SMI, he served as Associate Director of Deloitte TT, AVP of Loan Syndication at MayBank Indonesia, AVP of Loan Syndication at OCBC Indonesia and Senior Manager at CIMB Bank Indonesia.
Mr. Dominic Jacques is a graduate of HEC in Canada. He is a Chartered Accountant (CPA, CA) and a CFA Charter holder.
Mr. Jacques holds the position of Deputy Vice-President, International Development at National Bank of Canada. He is responsible for managing the Bank’s portfolio of international investments and developing ancillary business opportunities.
Mr. Jacques started his career as an auditor at PricewaterhouseCoopers. In 2010 Mr. Jacques joined National Bank of Canada.
Mr. Jacques has a sound knowledge of the banking industry, having spent 15 years advising financial institutions on transactions and partnerships. Over the years, he has been based in Montreal, London, Paris and in the Silicon Valley (USA). In April 2016, Mr. Jacques was appointed to the Board of Directors of ABA Bank.
Mr. Craig Brown is a partner with Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP, and an active member of several practice groups including Securities and Mergers & Acquisitions and the Asia Pacific Practice Group. Craig’s expertise is in the areas of mergers and acquisitions and corporate finance in both the public and private market contexts. Craig is a member of the leadership team driving Fasken’s International Emerging Technologies Practice and a member of its national Blockchain Task Force. Craig represents some of Canada’s most dynamic entrepreneurs who are breaking new ground in multiple areas including blockchain, artificial intelligence, medical devices and antibody engineering. Recognized by the Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory, he is a Member of the Canada India Business Council and the Canadian Venture Capital Association.
Mr. Rohan Belliappa is Singapore and SE Asia Representative for Canadian National Railway. Based in Singapore, he is responsible for customer engagement with a growing volume of ocean carrier, cargo owner and international inter modal partners in ASEAN. Rohan is president of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce in Singapore, hails from Halifax, Nova Scotia and has a Business Administration degree from the Richard Ivey School of Business, University of Western Ontario. He is a former television broadcast journalist with ESPN in Singapore and served within the trade section of the Canadian Consulate in Sydney, Australia.
Ms. Franca Ciambella is trained in law and business in Canada, New York and Singapore. Franca was one of the first foreign lawyers to gain admission to the Singapore Bar. Her legal career of 27 years encompasses being a partner at a major Canadian law firm, General Counsel for Asia for a US based Fortune 500 corporation, and since 2010, being Managing Director of Consilium Law Corporation.
Consilium represents clients doing business in ASEAN and Canada, in diverse sectors. Franca’s expertise lies in corporate and commercial law, contracts, technology law, fintech, cross border M & A, foreign investment law, and international trade. Her focus is on technology projects and a cutting edge multi-jurisdictional practice in cryptocurrency and ICOs.
Content coming soon…
Wesley Clover International
Wesley Clover International is a global investment management firm and holding company. Independently and together with partners, Wesley Clover has interests around the world in a range of next-generation technology companies, from early start-ups and firms in the accelerator phase, to established companies that trade publicly. Investments are focused on Cloud and SaaS applications for fixed and mobile communications, video analytics, security, customer engagement, business enablement and more. Wesley Clover also has exclusive real estate investments, owning and operating a number of world-class commercial office and hotel/resort properties.
The company enjoys an extensive technology track record, with more than 100 firms to date being founded or funded around the world, led by Chairman and highly successful technology entrepreneur, Terry Matthews. Wesley Clover founds and funds start-ups directly and in partnership with local governments, academic institutions and like-minded businessmen. The company invests exclusively in technology opportunities where its strategic advantages can best be leveraged.
Key among these advantages is the Alacrity Global Ecosystem, a hands-on investment model proven to provide entrepreneurs with a superior chance of success. Alacrity surrounds start-ups with more than just capital, offering access to highly experienced mentorship from which to learn, an established ecosystem of intellectual property and platform technology as a basis from which to innovate, vital first-client relationships for product validation, and established channels to market for reduced time to revenue and growth.
Wesley Clover has partnered to deploy the Alacrity technology start-up model in Canada, the U.K., Turkey, France and India, and is actively working to launch funds in Mexico, Singapore, Indonesia and China. The potential to extend deployments beyond these countries is always under consideration as well. More information can be found at either www.wesleyclover.com or www.alacrityglobal.com
Mr. Ron Hoffmann is a western Canadian who has spent much of his diplomatic career in Asia, including serving as Ambassador to Afghanistan during the height of Canada’s military, diplomatic and development deployment. He was Ambassador to Thailand, with cross-accreditation to Myanmar, Cambodia and Laos, and served in the Canadian Embassy in Beijing as Commercial and Economic Counsellor. Earlier in his career, he held key positions in Canadian missions in London, Johannesburg and The Hague. Mr. Hoffmann works with Alberta’s international offices across the region to promote high level and outcome-oriented engagement among Alberta government and business leaders and Asian counterparts. He also serves as Vice Chairman of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong, the largest Canadian business chamber outside of Canada.
Mr. Robert Asselin joined BlackBerry in 2017 as Senior Global Director, Public Policy. He was recently appointed Senior Fellow at the School of Public Policy and Governance at the University of Toronto and at the Public Policy Forum in Ottawa. For the last two years, he served as Policy and Budget Director to Canada Finance Minister. From 2007 to 2015, Mr. Asselin was the Associate Director of the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs at the University of Ottawa. In 2014, he was a Visiting Public Policy Scholar at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington, D.C.
Ms. Karen Cvornyek is the Regional Managing Principal, Asia at B+H Architects. Karen has been practicing architecture in Asia, Canada, England, Japan, Italy, Germany and the United Arab Emirates. She graduated from the University of Waterloo, Canada in 1987. Karen joined B+H Architects as a Partner in 2002. She relocated to the Shanghai Studio in 2003 to oversee an unprecedented period of growth in Asia. Involved in planning, architectural and interior design, and project management, she currently oversees nearly 200 staff members at B+H’s operations in Singapore, Vietnam, Hong Kong and China. A regular speaker at major events & conferences, Karen has delivered thought leadership pieces sharing insight on the business of architecture and educating the public on the role of architecture and its global impact.
Ms. Mairead Lavery joined Export Development Canada in 2014, taking on the role of Senior Vice President for Business Development, where she has a lead role in expanding the crown corporation’s impact for Canadian exporters doing business in almost two hundred countries, across all industrial sectors. She came to EDC from Bombardier, after sixteen years of assuming roles of increasing responsibility. These positions included Vice-President Finance, Vice-President Strategy, as well as V-P Business Development and Structured Finance for Bombardier’s Aerospace Group and, finally, as V-P Transformation and Shared Services. Mairead is a native of Northern Ireland, where she earned her degree in Management and Accounting from Queen’s University Belfast. She is also a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Ireland.
Mr. Gordon Brown , member of the Canadian House of Commons representing Ontario as a Conservative member. Mr. Brown was elected to Parliament in 2004 and has been re-elected in three subsequent elections. Currently, in 2014, he is Chair of the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage and is the House of Commons Chair of the Canada-United States Inter-Parliamentary Group. He is a member of the Trilateral Commission. He also sits on several all-party caucuses focusing on rural, health, border and other issues. He has also participated in numerous Parliamentary Groups. He was chosen in an earlier Parliament by Prime Minister Stephen Harper to Chair the Special Committee that reviewed the Anti-Terrorism Act. He was also chosen in an earlier Parliament by Prime Minister Stephen Harper to Chair the Ontario Conservative Caucus.
Ms. Melissa Kennedy joined Sun Life in 2014 and is responsible for the company’s enterprise legal, compliance, corporate secretarial and public affairs functions. Melissa has received a number of awards and recognition for her exemplary leadership and focus on building sustainable, healthier communities. In 2017, Melissa received the Outstanding Contribution to the Legal Profession award from Chambers Canada for her work championing the integration of sustainability principles into Sun Life’s corporate DNA. Melissa is also the recipient of multiple honours from the Canadian General Counsel Awards. In 2017, she received the Environmental, Social and Governance award in recognition of her contributions to Sun Life’s sustainability program and in 2012, was named Canadian General Counsel of the Year.
Dr. Anthony Watanabe has spent the past 15 years working at the forefront of sustainability. Adept at connecting dots and data to originate opportunities, he is an incorrigible glass half full eco-preneur. While based in Canada, he developed CSR strategies for multinational companies, built low carbon roadmaps in Latin America, pioneered the country’s leading water conference, and helped cleantech companies with strategies for accessing new markets. Since arriving in Asia, he has been helping Canadian cleantech companies in energy, water and air quality access the dynamic markets of ASEAN. Under his leadership, ACI is also working with global brands to help green the considerable supply chain here in the region.
Dr. Julia Fan Li has a lifelong passion for oncology R&D, innovative finance and biomedical innovation. She is motivated to translate scientific ideas into new medicines for patients. At Seven Bridges, she helps build self-improving AI software to analyze millions of genomes.The Seven Bridges platform enables whole genome analyses for precision medicine. Previously, she helped originate, launch and manage the pioneering $108mm Global Health Investment Fund that focuses on biomedical innovation for diseases which disproportionately affect the poor. Julia completed her PhD at the University of Cambridge as a Gates Scholar, holds a BCOM (honors) in finance and immunology from the University of British Columbia and has worked in the life sciences across four continents.
The Hon. Wayne G. Wouters is a Strategic and Policy Advisor with McCarthy Tétrault LLP. Before joining the private sector, Mr. Wouters was the Clerk of the Privy Council, Secretary to the Cabinet, and Head of the Public Service of Canada. Appointed by Prime Minister Harper, Mr. Wouters served from July 1, 2009 until October 3, 2014, at which time he retired from the Public Service of Canada. Mr. Wouters has an Undergraduate Bachelor of Commerce degree at the University of Saskatchewan and a Master’s Degree in Economics from Queen’s University. He has also held progressively senior positions in several departments including the Department of Finance and the Privy Council Office.
Ms. Émilie Potvin currently heads Uber’s public policy efforts in SouthEast and North Asia. Previously, Émilie served as Vice President, Public Affairs and Stakeholder Relations at the Canadian Chamber of Commerce- Canada’s most influential business association and acted as Canada’s Sherpa to the B20 Coalition- the Business group affiliated to the G20 and G8. Prior to that, Emilie served as Chief of staff to ministers in the Canadian Government and held a number of positions in the private sector with Bombardier and CAE. Emilie began her career as a Foreign Service Officer. She holds an MBA in International Management from HEC Montréal.
Ms. Humera Malik is the founder and CEO of Canvass Analytics, where she drives the vision and strategy for changing the way industrial companies think about and use operational data. Humera has worked with some of the largest businesses around the world to transform their business strategies, enter new markets and create new revenue streams. Specifically, Humera has worked with Microsoft, AT&T and Bell Enterprise where she was responsible for defining innovative enterprise business solutions targeting several key industries – Transport, Manufacturing, Retail and Energy. Humera has received various recognitions with most recent being a recipient of the Women of M2M/IoT award and is a sought-after entrepreneur and expert to speak about the impact of industrial artificial intelligence on the global economy.
Ms. Jan De Silva is a seasoned international business executive with a proven track record of excelling in on the-ground leadership roles. As President & CEO of the Toronto Region Board of Trade, Jan is spearheading efforts to make Toronto one of the most competitive and sought-after business regions in the world. Prior to joining the Board, Jan spent 14 years in leadership roles in Asia. She served as CEO of Sun Life Financial’s Hong Kong subsidiary and Mainland China joint venture. She co-founded and was CEO of Retail China Limited, which was acquired in 2010. She later served as Dean of Ivey Asia, leading the Hong Kong campus and Asia operations of Ivey Business School of Western University.
Ms. Jane Kearns is a senior advisor with MaRS Cleantech. She is a recognized leader in sustainable innovation and has extensive experience growing companies at the intersection of business and sustainability. She co-founded, grew and profitably sold a full-service renewable energy company, and leverages over 20 years of experience in the cleantech, finance and sustainability sectors to help build businesses that matter. She has advised entrepreneurs and executives on project and equity financing, M&A, strategic planning and business development. Jane is a co-founder of the CanadaCleantech Alliance, a board director at the Water Technology Acceleration Project (WaterTAP) and sits on advisory boards for the MaRS Catalyst Fund, Standup Ventures, Shell’s Quest Climate Grant and the Pembina Institute’s UnGALA. Jane holds an MBA from Columbia University.
Mr. Jay Jobanputra is responsible for overseeing all business activities in the Asia-Pacific region for TD Securities. He has over 25 years of experience in the financial markets, holding leadership positions for the last ten years. Prior to joining TD Securities in Singapore, Jay held various positions within TD Bank Group in Sydney, Singapore, Toronto, and New York. Jay is also a Director of Toronto Dominion (South East Asia) Limited, Toronto Dominion Australia Limited, TD Securities (Japan) Co., Ltd, and Yieldbroker Pty Limited. Jay holds a Master of Business Administration from the Schulich School of Business, Toronto and Bachelor of Arts with York University, Toronto.
Mr. Klaus Houben joined Export Development Canada (EDC) in September 2010 and was recently appointed EDC’s Chief Representative South East Asia based in Singapore. When joining EDC in 2010 he started as EDC’s Senior Regional Manager – Europe. He headed the representation in Dusseldorf, Germany. Mr. Houben has nearly 30 years experience in the banking industry serving corporate customers from medium sized enterprises to multinationals. Prior to joining EDC’s International Business Development Group, Mr. Houben worked as a self employed Consultant specialized in corporate finance developing financing strategies for corporate customers and supporting them in the arrangements of loans. Before that Mr. Houben was a Member of the Board of Directors of PB Firmenkunden AG, the corporate banking unit of Deutsche Postbank AG, the German Postbank.
Prof. Locknie Hsu is a full Professor of Law at Singapore Management University (SMU). She completed her LL.B. studies at the National University of Singapore (NUS), and Harvard University. Locknie specializes in international trade, investment and ASEAN integration law. She is a Research Fellow in the International Academy of the Belt and Road (Hong Kong) and a member of the Advisory Panel of the Vietnamese Chamber of Commerce in Singapore. In the ASEAN Law Association, Locknie is Chair of the Trade and Investment Group, a member of the Legal Harmonization Working Group, and the Singapore National Committee’s Executive Council. In the International Law Association, she is a co-rapporteur of the Committee on Sustainable Development and the Green Economy.
Prof. Mohammad Keyhani is an Assistant Professor in Strategy and Entrepreneurship at the Haskayne School of Business, University of Calgary and a David Rockefeller Fellow at the Trilateral Commission. He is the maker of the Entrepreneur Tools website, an internationally renowned list of resources for start-ups and entrepreneurs and a co-founder of ProspectRenewables.com, a FinTech start-up that aims to automate the financial analysis of renewable energy electricity production projects. He also serves as a policy advisor to the Iranian-Canadian Congress. Dr. Keyhani received his doctorate in strategic management from the Schulich School of Business, York University in Toronto, Canada, and has a M.Sc. in Entrepreneurship and B.Sc. in Applied Mathematics, both from the University of Tehran, Iran.
Mr. Peter Nesbitt has lived and worked in Asia for more than 25 years and has established an excellent track record in the financial services sector for business origination and managing complex client relationships. Peter joined BMO Capital Markets in April 2015 as the General Manager of BMO’s Singapore Branch and Managing Director of BMO’s Global Banking business for Asia. As a member of the Bank’s Asia executive team, Peter’s role is to expand this line of business for BMO in Asia. Prior to BMO, Peter was the Regional Vice-President, Asia, for Export Development Canada, Canada’s official export-credit agency. With EDC, Peter led a number of teams in China, India and Singapore in providing financing and insurance solutions to Canadian business actively trading and/or investing in Asia. Peter graduated with a Masters in Business Development from Dalhousie University in Halifax Canada and is a Fellow of the Institute of Canadian Bankers
Mr. Pierre Cléroux, Vice President, Research and Chief Economist at BDC since 2012. Mr. Cléroux leads a team of experts who analyze economic data to identify business and sector trends impacting Canadian entrepreneurs. He also provides economic analysis and advice to the Bank’s senior management team, and supervises all marketing and industry research activities. Mr. Cléroux has more than 25-year of experience. Before joining BDC, Pierre worked for the Government of Saudi Arabia as Vice President, Business Analysis in the National Industry Clusters Development Program, he was the Quebec Assistant Deputy Minister for Economic Development, Innovation and Export Trade,and a strategic advisor for Montreal International. Pierre also worked for 12 years at the Canadian Federation of Independent Business as Quebec Vice President.
Dr. Shawn Watson is the founder and CEO of Senescence Life Sciences, a cutting-edge biotechnology company whose mission is to research, develop and commercialize safe, effective and scientifically proven neuroprotective compounds that address age-related cognitive decline. Under his leadership, Senescence won a spot as one of Singapore’s Top 20 Hottest Companies in 2017. Shawn is a published author, and regularly speaks to communities, organizations and health professionals about brain health and aging. He was recently recognized as one of the Top 10 Influencers in Healthcare in Singapore under the age of 40.
As the SME Committee Chair of the Canada-ASEAN Business Council (CABC), Shawn is also working to provide support, education and commercial opportunities for Canadian SMEs entering ASEAN.
Mr. Stewart Beck, is the President and CEO of the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada. Prior to joining APF Canada, Mr. Beck served as the Canadian High Commissioner to the Republic of India with concurrent accreditation to the Kingdom of Bhutan and to Nepal. He joined Canada’s Department of External Affairs and International Trade (now Global Affairs Canada) in 1982 and served abroad in the United States, Taiwan, and the People’s Republic of China. In Ottawa, he held a number of progressively more senior positions, including Director General of the North Asia Bureau, Director General Responsible for Senior Management and Rotational Assignments, and Assistant Deputy Minister for International Business Development, Investment, and Innovation. He was Consul General in Shanghai and prior to his posting to India, he was Consul General in San Francisco.
